NFU Approves of Bill Adding USDA to Foreign Investment Committee

The National Farmers Union is supporting a bill that would add the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States. The Food Security is National Security Act, introduced in the Senate by Michigan Democrat Debbie Stabenow and Iowa Republican Chuck Grassley, also directs the committee to consider U.S. food and agriculture systems when determining whether to approve foreign investment in U.S. companies. Farmers Union President Roger Johnson says foreign investment in agriculture is occurring at an alarming rate, noting Smithfield’s sale to a Chinese firm, the Syngenta acquisition by ChemChina, and Bayer’s proposed acquisition of Monsanto. Johnson says: “This foreign investment threatens our domestic food security,” while calling on Congress to pass the measure.